Sunday, November 3, 2013

Hawaiian monk seals

Monachus schauinslandi, the hawaiian monk seal, are an endangered species that reside in the Pacific Hawaiian oceans. They mate between December and August. Females reach maturity at age four and the fetus takes 9 months to develop. Prey on bony fish, cephalopoda, and crustaceans. Tiger and Galapagos sharks are both predators. Fishing and entanglement are main human threats to these animals. The monk seal is part of the Phocidae family. They shed their hair and outer skin layer in an annual molt. This is one of the two remaining monk seal species; the other being the mediterranean monk seal.